North East sees increase in green jobs, report says

The North East has seen a rise in 'green jobs' being advertised, yet it still trails behind other UK regions, as highlighted by the latest PwC Green Jobs Barometer.

The report, now in its fourth iteration, revealed that there were 6,095 green industry job postings in the North East last year, marking a 23% increase from the year before. However, this figure pales in comparison to London's 58,000 job adverts, with the capital dominating the market for high-paying roles in professional, scientific, and technical sectors within the environmental field.

North East economic leaders are honing in on jobs related to the UK's net zero targets, with special emphasis on wind energy and green transport sectors. According to PwC, these industries represented 2.4% of the region's job advertisements in the past year, which is still below the national average of 3.3%.

In contrast, the North West boasted over 25,000 green job adverts, while Yorkshire and Humber had just over 17,000. PwC's analysis indicates that nearly one-fifth of all UK job adverts classified as 'green' are located in the North.

Adam Waller, PwC's environmental, social and governance lead for the North, commented on the findings: "It's crucial for the North to be at the centre of the green energy transition. The data shows us that green energy jobs are having an increasing importance in the job market for the North West, and almost 18% of the number of jobs available that meet the barometer's definition of 'green' can be found in the North.", reports Business Live.

"However, the region's role in the UK net zero ambitions is not without its challenges. Despite the large amount of green investment in the North - from Atrato's solar farm in Yorkshire, AESC's battery plant expansion in the North East and Aira's climate tech research hub in Trafford - the geographical spread of green jobs is weighted heavily towards the south of the country."

"Given the scale of traditional industry and manufacturing, as well as its natural assets, such as wind and tidal energy generation, the opportunity is there for the North to play a key role in the energy transition. However, it will be critical to create the roles and provide the skills to capture this opportunity."

The Green Jobs Barometer tracks movement in the creation of green jobs, as well as carbon intensity of employment and worker sentiment across regions and sectors. It defines green jobs as direct production of products and services, adapting existing products and services to being more environmentally friendly, and jobs that support a green economy indirectly.